Photo: China has a Kobe Bryant statue

The Kobe Bryant statue at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in China.

The Kobe Bryant statue at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in China. (Edie Robles)

Jamie Wetherbe

Two athletic icons whose posters have graced many a bedroom wall recently became more permanent fixtures on opposite ends of the world.

A sculpture of martial artist and film star Bruce Lee by a Guangzhou, China, artist was unveiled Saturday in Los Angeles. And on Monday photos of a statue of Lakers star Kobe Bryant in that same Chinese province popped up on Twitter.

The statue of Kobe in Lakers uniform, standing with a basketball under his arm, appears to be outside the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts' Sculpture Museum, according to tweets.